2024: The Year of Climate Crisis – Expert Analysis and Urgent Call to Action

2024-02-17 19:25:00

The year 2024 begins with the recording of a new record, the hottest January ever recorded globally, according to the latest climate bulletin from the European Copernicus program. Climatic anomalies are now part of citizens’ daily lives.

Faced with an unexpected winter heatwave and an unprecedented drought, human beings are wondering regarding their origins, forgetting that they are at the origin. After a 12-month period of more than 1.5C° above the pre-industrial reference period, the temperature recorded an unprecedented record. January 2024, the hottest January globally with an ERA5 average surface air temperature of 13.14°C or 0.70°C above the 1991-2020 average for January and 0.12°C above the temperature of the previous hottest January in 2020.

In this perspective, in order to better understand the consequences of this disruption, Hespress FR contacted Mustapha Benramel, environment and climate expert, as well as president of the Association of Ecological Lighthouses for Development and Climate, who confirmed to us the start of a climate crisis.

« The signs of this climate change can no longer be ignored. January is just a prelude to an entire year that will be littered with climate anomalies », informs our interlocutor noting that “ 2024 will go down in history as one of the hottest in decades. Since July 4, when the World Meteorological Organization revealed the start of the El Niño phenomenon, we have witnessed an inexorable rise in temperatures. El Niño, this complex phenomenon, is characterized by an increase in ocean surface temperatures, disrupting air and water currents and affecting all regions of the globe. If the phenomenon is not unprecedented, its repercussions this year are of unprecedented magnitude, affecting every corner of the world, with particular intensity in Morocco ».

The global temperature anomaly for January 2024 was lower than those for the last six months of 2023, but higher than any preceding July 2023. The month was 1.66°C warmer than the estimated January average for the period 1850-1900, the designated pre-industrial reference period.

According to the expert: “ This widespread warming has shifted the climatic and natural balance, even impacting local microclimates. Last fall, we saw a dramatic decrease in precipitation, combined with a record rise in temperatures, 1.3 degrees Celsius above usual averages. The winter was not spared, with unprecedented heat waves, thus confirming the alarming predictions of scientists ».

The World Meteorological Organization and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have already warned that 2024 might break the heat record set last year.

The month of January, traditionally one of the coldest of the year, turns out to be a real climatic paradox. Temperatures sometimes reach peaks that should be reserved for late spring or early summer. The seasons themselves seem to merge, defying norms established for centuries.

Pointing the finger at human activity, the expert emphasizes that with “ the procession of greenhouse gas emissions, the main driver of this climate change, has a major impact on the climate. Modern lifestyles, focused on consumption and economic growth at all costs, have devastating consequences on our environment. Deforestation, rampant urbanization and the reduction of green spaces contribute to worsening the situation. Forests, these precious natural carbon sinks, are disappearing at an alarming rate, reducing the capacity to absorb carbon dioxide and methane, the main causes of global warming ».

However, the consequences of this disruption are not limited to the environment. “ They also affect human health, with an alarming increase in dermatological, cardiological, ophthalmological diseases, and many others. Human lives are at stake, and we can no longer afford inaction », fumes the specialist.

Faced with this existential crisis, “ we must act with determination and solidarity. It is imperative that we take drastic action to reverse this trend and safeguard the planet for future generations. We must fundamentally rethink our relationship with nature, promote sustainable lifestyles and work for a just and equitable energy transition. », suggests Benramel.

In conclusion, the climatologist launches a solemn appeal, “ the future of our planet depends on actions taken today. The power to change the course of history and preserve the beauty and diversity of the world lies in the hands of decision-makers, managers and consumers ».

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